Spreader wrench



April 27 l954 A. G. GooDNlGl-IT 2,676,505

SPREADER WRENCH Filed March 28, 1950 AUST/N G. GooD/v/e/-IT /NVENTOR Hasan/ER, BEEHLER, woRREL HERZ/c a CALDWELL .4 TTORNEKS www Patented Apr. 27, 1954 UNITE'D vS'FLNFES .PATENT OFFICE 2 Claims. 1

.Thepresent invention relates generally .to tools and more .particularly to a spreader wrench.

The Wrenchof the presentinventionis adapted for use in connection with the attachment, and/or removal of Vbattery connectors .from v,electrical storage batteries. For convenience, the deviceof the present invention is shown and described as employed with a battery connector of the type illustrated and described in my co-pending application for Clamping Devices, Serial i-No.

'675,448, led June 8, 1946 land now Patent' No. 2,548,782. In that application is shown a battery connector having a pair ofl jaw members adapted toengage a battery post with resilient means for "urging the'jawmembers toward each other in clamping relation.

YIn the disclosure, no mechanical aid isprovidedto facilitate the spread- 'ingo the jaw'members in attaching the con- 'nector` to aibattery post or for removing theconnector from ,a battery 'post. It has been found advantageous" to provide a. pairof 'wrench open- 3 ings or bores in the jaw members and to provide .a wrench of the type comprising the subject -ma`tter of the instant application to engage the wrench openings in the jaws as a connecting and Adisconnecting expedient.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved wrench adaptedf'to facilitatepositivepositioning and spacing of relal "tively yieldable members.

.Anotherobiect is to provide a wrench adapted to facilitate the spreading of relatively movable resiliently clamping jaw members of battery -a relatively short extension atene side of its ear 'and arelatively longer extension'at the opposite connectors to condition the vbattery connector for `convenient attachment and removal from a oattery post.

Another object is-to provideeu Wrench,.by. the use of which, a separable battery'connectorA may be easily and quickly attachedto a battery post or removed therefrom.

.Another Objectis tcprovide a wrench ofthe type described which is convenient and simple to operatein even; relatively*inaccessible positions.

Another object is .to provide .a ,wrench ior present invention finds utility, `'showing bore engaging pins supported thereabove 2 'l Fig. 4'is a perspective view ofthe Wrench shown in the preceding vvfigures.

Fig. 5 is a plan view oi-a second form -of the `present invention.

Fig.- Bris a somewhat enlarged fragmentary side elevation of'a work pieceengaging end of the wrench illustratedv rin Fig. 5.

Figf is a perspective View of`a battery connectorof one typ-e with which the wrench of the fragmentarily preparatory to operable'engagement therewith. 'Referring in greatei'detail to the drawings:

One of the forms of the Wrench' of the present invention identi'ed in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusively, by the reference'numeral I 0, consists primarily of a pair of elongated levers 1H ofany desired cross 'section each havingan ear I2l formed integrally therewith and extending normally theretol adjacent'correspondingerids thereof. Each lever has side thereof. A pintle' I3 extends` through the ears I2 so that the `levers Il are pivotally connected for relative movement in a common plane. The

`longer extending portions'of each of the levers Il constitute handles I4. A torsion spring l5, having outwardly turned or bent terminal ends i6, vis located under initial torsion between the `handles i4 With the ends I6 of` the spring each extending intor an opening Il drilled into thel in- Wardly 'disposed faces of each of the handles a `short vdistance from the pivotal interconnection of the levers. TheA torsion spring is located under initial torsion between the handles Ui and urges the" handles. apart.

The shorter portions of the levers yil comprise 'arms 2t each-of which'has an inwardly disposed* stop rod'ZI conveniently mounted in openings 22 individual to the'levers in juxtaposition. The stop pinsl onthe` arrns2 are in substantial longitudinal alignment for endward abutting when the `handles I4 are urged pivotally outwardly by the spring I5. The" length ofthe stop pins 2l are such that'they limitv pivotal' movement inwardly of thearms 2i] to substantiallyA parallel relation. An operatingpin 23 is conveniently-formed integrally with each of the armsv 2U and extends endwardly from its respective arm. It is to be understood that lthe operating pins 23 may be formed separately and securely attached endwardly of the arms 20 so that they are movable therewith.without;departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. :Laterally extended operative pins 24 are individually secured, as by a press lit, into a base 25. formed in each of the arms'Zty and extendsubstantially .perpendicularlyto. the common plane of the arms adja- .ceritto theterminalendsthereot Thepairs of Koperating pins "23'and `24'. are selectively engageable with relatively movable members and by manipulation of the handles |4 the members may be positively relatively positioned.

Second form A second form of the present invention is shown in Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings substantially similar to the rst form in the provision of pivoted levers each having a handle portion 4 and an arm portion 20, with the hands urged outwardly by means of a torsion spring I5. Like numbers identify portions of the i-lrst and second forms of the invention that are similar.

In the second form of the invention, however, a substitute structure for the stop rods 2| is employed and the arms 20 terminate in bifurcated end portions 21, clearly shown in Fig. 6. Arm extensions 23 having endwardly disposed transversely arranged tongues 29 individually tted to the end portions 21 are articulately connected to the end portions by headed pintles 30 extended therethrough. The arm extensions 28 are thus mounted for pivotal movement in the plane of the levers li. The pintles 3|] are extended in parallel relation perpendicularly from the levers in alignment with the articulately connected arms 2|) and extensions 28 to provide operating pins 3| corresponding to the operating pins '24. Operating pins 33 similar to pins 23 are endwardly extended from the arm extensions in parallel relation.

The second form of the present invention differs from the rst form in the provisions of means for maintaining the endwardly extended operating pins 33 in parallel relation during manipulation of the levers Such means consists of a guide rod 35 secured to one of the arm extensions 28 and rigidly extended perpendicular therefrom toward the opposite arm extension. A guide sleeve 36 is rigidly secured to. and extends perpendicular from, said opposite arm extension and telescopically receives the guide rod. As evident in Figs. 5 and 6, the guide rod 35 and sleeve 36 are preferably aligned with the pivotal interconnection of the arms 20 and their respective arm extensions 28. To achieve this, the guide rod and the sleeve are mounted on the bifurcated portions of their respective arm extensions so as to avoid interference with the pivotal association of the extensions and their respective arms. When the arms 20 are moved relatively by operation of the handles I4, the arm extensions and their respective operating pins 33 are constrained to parallel positions by slidable telescopic coaction of the guide rod 35 and guide sleeve 36. As will subsequently become apparent, the maintenance of the operating pins 33 in parallel relation precludes binding thereof in engageable bores or other openingsk in work pieces having relatively movable portions.

The wrench of the present invention is adapted to be used in connection with relatively movable members which are resiliently urged together but separable from each other. An example of a structure with which the wrench is used is illustrated in Fig. 7 of the drawing showing a battery connector 31 adapted to be connected to a battery post, not shown, of an electrical storage battery. a head 4| and a relatively movable cap 42. A cylindrical or frusto-conical connector opening 43 is formed transversely through both the head and the cap symmetrically of their parting line. The head and the cap provide a pair of The battery clamp is provided with jaws 44 at opposite sides of the opening which are adapted to engage opposite sides of a battery post when in properly installed position. A pair of bores or pockets 45 are formed downwardly into the head 4| and the cap 42 closely adjacent to the opening 43. The bores are adapted to receive either the operating pins 23, 24, 3| or 33 of the wrenches of the present invention for effecting the separation of the jaws. The head 4| and cap 42 are maintained in relative alignment by means of a pair of headed studs 46 passed through the cap 42 and either threaded- 1y engaged or engaged with a press i-lt into the head 4|. A counterbore 41 is formed in the cap 42 concentrically of the headed stud 46 and a compression spring 48 is located in circumscribing relation around each of the headed studs 36 and under initial compression between the head of each stud and the bottom of the counterbore 31 yieldably to maintain the head 4| and the cap 42 in engagement and their jaw portions 44 in constricting relation.

Operation The operation and utility of the present invention is believed to be apparent from the foregoing description and is briefly summarized at this point. The wrenches are adapted to be used forcibly to separate yieldably separable members such as the jaw portions of the battery clamp exemplified in Fig. '1 of the drawing. To separate the jaws of the battery clamp the operating pins 23, 24, 3| or 33 are inserted into the bores or pockets 45. The selection of the endwardly extended operating pins 23 or 33 or laterally extended pins 24 or 3| to insert in the bores 45 is determined by handling convenience and available working space. After the pins are inserted in the bores 45 the handles |4 of the wrench are squeezed toward each other pivotally separating the arms '20, pins, and portions of the battery connector in which the bores are formed. This separates the jaws 44 of the battery clamp so that they may be located over a battery clamp for connection therewith or removed from a battery clamp for detachment therefrom. In attaching a battery clamp to the post of a battery, after the jaws 44 are located in circumscribing relation around the battery post the handles of the wrench are released permitting the jaws to move toward each other under the urging of the springs 48 rmly engaging the jaws with the post of the battery.

It will be apparent that in employing the pins 23 in the bores 45, pivotal movement of the levers pivots said pins therewith. Unless the pins have a relatively sloppy t in the bores, this results in binding and limiting of pivotal movement of the levers. Of `course, the laterally extended pins 24 and 3| are always in parallelism and thus do not experience lsuch binding. Further, the second form of the invention provides a structure positively maintaining the endwardly extended pins 33 in parallel relation similarly overcoming any tendency to bind.

The wrenches of the present invention are not limited to use in mounting and removing battery connectors of the type described but may be suitably employed in positively spacing relatively movable objects having pin receiving bores or pockets formed therein. Not only do the wrenches serve positively to space such objects but through engagement with pockets and/or bores *formed therein hold the objects and permit their positioning as desired. y

The devices of the present invention facilitate the positive positioning and spacing of relatively yieldable members having bores formed therein and provide for the expeditious attachment and detachment of battery connectors of the type described. The wrenches are economical to manufacture, durable in construction, easy to assemble and dependable in operation.

Although have herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my invention, which is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein, but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent devices and structures.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A spreader wrench comprising a pair of levers each having a handle end portion and an endwardly bifurcated opposite end portion, a pintle pivctally interconnecting the levers intermediate their opposite end portions, an extension individual to each lever having a lip received in the bifui'cated end of its respective lever, a pair of pins in parailel relation to the pintle extended through the bifurcated ends of the levers and the lips therebetween pivotally connecting the extensions to their respective levers, a rod extended from one extension toward the opposite extension substantially radially of the pivot pin of its respective extension, a sleeve extended from said opposite extension substantially radially of its pivot pin sldably receiving the rod for relative telescopic movement, and work piece engaging means mounted on the extensions.

2. A spreader wrench comprising a pair oi. levers each having a handle end portion and an endvvardly bifurcated opposite end portion, a pintle pivctally interconnecting the levers intermediate their opposite end portions, an extension individual to each lever having a lip received in the bifurcated end of its respective lever, a pair of pins in parallel relation to the pintle extended through the bifurcated ends of the levers and the lips therebetween pivotally connecting the extensions to their respective levers, a rod extended from one extension toward the opposite extension substantially radially of the pivot pin of its respective extension, and a sleeve extended from said opposite extension substantially radially of its pivot pin slidably receiving the rod for relative telescopic movement.

References Cited in the le 0f this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 519,582 Lerch May 8, 1894 634,493 Bradley Oct. 10, 1399 1,017,093 Gilmer Feb. 13, 1912 1,319,007 Kind Oct. 14, 1919 1,750,121 Ottinger Mar. 11, 1930 2,411,733 Kernrnerlin Nov. 26, 1946 2,553,620' Yeazell May 22, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 17,634 Netherlands Feb. 15, 1928 

